Plans for a 'chicken city' in Upton Snodsbury recommended for approval

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a "chicken city" which will house 160,000 birds have been recommended for approval by planners.

Permission was granted at appeal in January for the broiler farm in Upton Snodsbury to build two chicken units, each housing 40,000 chickens, on land north east of Froghall Bungalow, Naunton Road.

But the new proposals will see production double with the number of sheds potentially increasing to four if they are approved at Wychavon District Council's planning committee on Thursday, September 11.

Campaigners have opposed the plans, submitted by Edward Davies, since last year as part of Wychavon Parishes Action Group and are asking people to show their support by attending the 2pm meeting.

They fear the broiler farm will have a detrimental impact on the landscape and biodiversity of the area as well as create noise, odour and light pollution as well as highways issues.

The group, which is formed from members of Upton Snodsbury, Cowsden, Naunton Beauchamp, North Piddle and Flyford Flavell, say they are not against development but want to preserve a beautiful part of the Worcestershire countryside.

Animal welfare campaign group PETA, the international organisation of people for the ethical treatment of animals, submitted a petition signed by 26,000 people calling on the council to reject the plans.

Sally Smallcombe, a farmer whose property adjoins the ‘chicken city’ operation, believes the area the proposed chicken sheds are planned for is not suitable for the type of operation.

Mrs Smallcombe said: "It will destroy this beautiful rural area and its wildlife as well as wreck the tourism industry which has been so carefully nurtured in Wychavon.

"There has been insufficient research done on the impact of the operation on Piddle Brook which is only 100ft from the site and our narrow lanes won’t cope with the hundreds of lorries driving at all times of day and night.

"Wychavon Parishes Action Group is lobbying the council committee to refuse planning permission for this operation which will destroy our landscape, tourism and wildlife and only create two jobs in return."

The meeting will take place at the Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore.

For more information about the campaign log on to www.no-chicken-farm.org.

Comments (12)

Wychavon residents successfully saw off Scottish Power's attempt to install a wind farm, so let's hope they are as successful this time. It seems that the developers went for something small to get a foot in the door and now are doubling it.

Wychavon residents successfully saw off Scottish Power's attempt to install a wind farm, so let's hope they are as successful this time. It seems that the developers went for something small to get a foot in the door and now are doubling it.danieled

This article has missed the fact that there is a second application from another firm next door to this one, meaning a total of eight sheds not the two originally approved.
Follow the link in the article for details. (Just remember to omit the full stop at the end.)
As I have said before the real way to defeat these applications is to stop buying battery farmed chicken. If people want to buy cheap chicken with all its nutritional deficiencies then someone will supply it.

This article has missed the fact that there is a second application from another firm next door to this one, meaning a total of eight sheds not the two originally approved.
Follow the link in the article for details. (Just remember to omit the full stop at the end.)
As I have said before the real way to defeat these applications is to stop buying battery farmed chicken. If people want to buy cheap chicken with all its nutritional deficiencies then someone will supply it.New Kid on the Block

Jabbadad wrote:
Yep, those who will buy are I suppose the hungry and cannot afford the Free Range and organic foodstuffs.

Or those who don't consider it to be a meal unless it contains a large portion of meat and wish to save some money for beer and fags.
Yes there are those who do genuinely need to save money but why is it that those who are better off are less likely to smoke?

[quote][p][bold]Jabbadad[/bold] wrote:
Yep, those who will buy are I suppose the hungry and cannot afford the Free Range and organic foodstuffs.[/p][/quote]Or those who don't consider it to be a meal unless it contains a large portion of meat and wish to save some money for beer and fags.
Yes there are those who do genuinely need to save money but why is it that those who are better off are less likely to smoke?New Kid on the Block

Have a read of some of the documents relating to this on Wychavons planning site. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, but I am outraged. The highways dept who reviewed the traffic impact need a bit of scrutiny. They have massively under estimated the additional traffic, the current prevailing speed on the B road used to access the site, and the visibility at the site entrance. They are just one group who are funds by, and are supposed to serve the local public who have failed them instead and should be ashamed. Scandalous.

Have a read of some of the documents relating to this on Wychavons planning site. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, but I am outraged. The highways dept who reviewed the traffic impact need a bit of scrutiny. They have massively under estimated the additional traffic, the current prevailing speed on the B road used to access the site, and the visibility at the site entrance. They are just one group who are funds by, and are supposed to serve the local public who have failed them instead and should be ashamed. Scandalous.Landy44

Read more of the Wychavon planning website documents this evening a did I were WN I'd be shining an investigative journalism spotlight on this issue. There are clearly economic, environmental, and planning issues here that seem to be being run roughshod over with assistance from local authorities. One wonders why when the benefits of this development are all to people and entities outside the county and all the downsides are incurred by those who are local. Methinks there is a bigger story here WN!

Read more of the Wychavon planning website documents this evening a did I were WN I'd be shining an investigative journalism spotlight on this issue. There are clearly economic, environmental, and planning issues here that seem to be being run roughshod over with assistance from local authorities. One wonders why when the benefits of this development are all to people and entities outside the county and all the downsides are incurred by those who are local. Methinks there is a bigger story here WN!Landy44

Jabbadad wrote:
Yep, those who will buy are I suppose the hungry and cannot afford the Free Range and organic foodstuffs.

Or those who don't consider it to be a meal unless it contains a large portion of meat and wish to save some money for beer and fags.
Yes there are those who do genuinely need to save money but why is it that those who are better off are less likely to smoke?

How judgemental you are New Kid. Some people just don't analyse every situation. They may have better things to do such as spend time looking after their families. They may not believe that barn chickens are cruelly treated, as you do. They may not have your middle class values. There may be a host of reasons. Whether they smoke or drink is irrelevant.

[quote][p][bold]New Kid on the Block[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Jabbadad[/bold] wrote:
Yep, those who will buy are I suppose the hungry and cannot afford the Free Range and organic foodstuffs.[/p][/quote]Or those who don't consider it to be a meal unless it contains a large portion of meat and wish to save some money for beer and fags.
Yes there are those who do genuinely need to save money but why is it that those who are better off are less likely to smoke?[/p][/quote]How judgemental you are New Kid. Some people just don't analyse every situation. They may have better things to do such as spend time looking after their families. They may not believe that barn chickens are cruelly treated, as you do. They may not have your middle class values. There may be a host of reasons. Whether they smoke or drink is irrelevant.Rita Jelfs

Jabbadad wrote:
Yep, those who will buy are I suppose the hungry and cannot afford the Free Range and organic foodstuffs.

Or those who don't consider it to be a meal unless it contains a large portion of meat and wish to save some money for beer and fags.
Yes there are those who do genuinely need to save money but why is it that those who are better off are less likely to smoke?

How judgemental you are New Kid. Some people just don't analyse every situation. They may have better things to do such as spend time looking after their families. They may not believe that barn chickens are cruelly treated, as you do. They may not have your middle class values. There may be a host of reasons. Whether they smoke or drink is irrelevant.

Most of us don't have the money to just spend it as we please so we do have to analyse things carefully. As I said some people will have to be be very careful of their expenditure. when I was in this situation I chose to eat very little meat, preferring quality to quantity. I was also fortunate enough to have permission to go rabbiting for a supply of cheap healthy free range meat.
I only meant fags or beer as an example of unnecessary expense that should come much further down the list than food, any luxury item could be substituted. It is very relevant whether people spend on luxuries before food. A packet of fags a day costs more than most people spend on food.
If you think so little of the food you eat that you consider it acceptable to cram 18 chickens into a square metre that is up to you but it hardly shows you to be considerate person.

[quote][p][bold]Rita Jelfs[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]New Kid on the Block[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Jabbadad[/bold] wrote:
Yep, those who will buy are I suppose the hungry and cannot afford the Free Range and organic foodstuffs.[/p][/quote]Or those who don't consider it to be a meal unless it contains a large portion of meat and wish to save some money for beer and fags.
Yes there are those who do genuinely need to save money but why is it that those who are better off are less likely to smoke?[/p][/quote]How judgemental you are New Kid. Some people just don't analyse every situation. They may have better things to do such as spend time looking after their families. They may not believe that barn chickens are cruelly treated, as you do. They may not have your middle class values. There may be a host of reasons. Whether they smoke or drink is irrelevant.[/p][/quote]Most of us don't have the money to just spend it as we please so we do have to analyse things carefully. As I said some people will have to be be very careful of their expenditure. when I was in this situation I chose to eat very little meat, preferring quality to quantity. I was also fortunate enough to have permission to go rabbiting for a supply of cheap healthy free range meat.
I only meant fags or beer as an example of unnecessary expense that should come much further down the list than food, any luxury item could be substituted. It is very relevant whether people spend on luxuries before food. A packet of fags a day costs more than most people spend on food.
If you think so little of the food you eat that you consider it acceptable to cram 18 chickens into a square metre that is up to you but it hardly shows you to be considerate person.New Kid on the Block

@New Kid..... My heart bleeds for you and your chickens..... NOT.... If you want to deprive the poor of fat free, fairly tasty food (esp. when seasoned in breadcrumbs) then can we EAT YOU (and vegetarians in general)?? Seriously.. You live in Rural Britannia which has seen its farming sector battered by bleeding heart greenies for far too long... Think about all the WILD ANIMALS YOUR GREENY FLOODING POLICIES KILLED over the last 15 years.... You guys need to a get a grip and some financial / wildlife perspective.

@New Kid..... My heart bleeds for you and your chickens..... NOT.... If you want to deprive the poor of fat free, fairly tasty food (esp. when seasoned in breadcrumbs) then can we EAT YOU (and vegetarians in general)?? Seriously.. You live in Rural Britannia which has seen its farming sector battered by bleeding heart greenies for far too long... Think about all the WILD ANIMALS YOUR GREENY FLOODING POLICIES KILLED over the last 15 years.... You guys need to a get a grip and some financial / wildlife perspective.PrivateSi

Private Si you are talking utter cr*p as usual.
This establishment will not give the chickens any space to move - 18 Birds at 2kg each per square metre is the limit.
Intensively reared chicken is NOT low fat. The balance of nutrition in chicken has altered over the years so that it now contains more fat than protein!
By not relying on intensively reared chicken and thinking a little more creatively you can have proper really tasty food for less money - a win all round.
I am not a vegetarian and have never claimed to be so though I do enjoy a diet containing fresh seasonal veg. I also support our farmers and will be shoping at a local farm shop later today. I have friends and family involved in farming and could not be further from being a bleeding heart greeny.
What is wrong with eating rabbits? They are the biggest agricultural pest in this country and a source of proper low fat tasty meat.
What you mean by greeny flooding policies I have no idea. Perhaps you would like to explain.

Private Si you are talking utter cr*p as usual.
This establishment will not give the chickens any space to move - 18 Birds at 2kg each per square metre is the limit.
Intensively reared chicken is NOT low fat. The balance of nutrition in chicken has altered over the years so that it now contains more fat than protein!
By not relying on intensively reared chicken and thinking a little more creatively you can have proper really tasty food for less money - a win all round.
I am not a vegetarian and have never claimed to be so though I do enjoy a diet containing fresh seasonal veg. I also support our farmers and will be shoping at a local farm shop later today. I have friends and family involved in farming and could not be further from being a bleeding heart greeny.
What is wrong with eating rabbits? They are the biggest agricultural pest in this country and a source of proper low fat tasty meat.
What you mean by greeny flooding policies I have no idea. Perhaps you would like to explain.New Kid on the Block